Baseball Warehouse Guide

Breaking in a new glove

The best way to break in a new glove is by using it. If you bought a glove that is made with some good strong leather then you probably paid a good amount for it. I would not suggest you put a lot of oils and creams on the glove because the leather has been tanned and conditioned by professionals. I would just take the time to play a lot of catch and make sure it begins to form to your hand. If you purchased a glove that is made of cheap leather then I would recommend that you use it very rarely because its shelf life is limited.

More important than breaking in a glove is shaping it the way you want it. Most positions shape their gloves a certain way. Middle infielders like to shape the glove to be more wide open. They usually push the fingers down to open the mitt more to make it better to field ground balls. Outfielders shape their gloves to fold down the pocket. This way it will trap the ball around the glove when the ball sticks the pocket. Whatever way you like it, shaping your glove is what makes it yours. I believe the longer you can use a glove the better it will support your skills. Some of the best ball players in the game have used their gloves for many years and swear by it. If you can make your new glove last a long time then this will take a big effect on your career.

After you learn to shape your new glove to your liking I would suggest you follow the tips below on how to care for your glove.

Important tips to a gloves longevity:

1. Do not leave your glove in the rain. Water removes the oils from the leather and it will dry out. If you do leave your glove in the rain or get it really wet you need to add a glove oil like Neatsfoot oil.

"baseball": adult and child gloves with ball2. Do not stuff your glove in your bag. If you are consistently bending your glove and changing its shape, it will wear out a lot quicker. Treat your glove like your body.

3. Do not spit in your glove. This will also dry it out.

4. Do not try to quickly break in a new glove. Let it slowly form to your hand by playing catch daily.

5. You must spend some money and buy a glove that has some good leather that will last longer than one season. A good glove is like a favorite dog. Find the one you like and care for it like it is family.

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